You will be met at the Buenos Aires International Airport to take you to your hotel and assist with check-in. You'll have the rest of the day and evening to explore the capital on your own. For a quick introduction to the history and amenities of this sophisticated city aptly called the "Paris of South America,"  take a city tour.


DAY 3     SPEND A DAY IN BUENOS AIRES

Possible activities:
    - Four Balconies Of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Walking Tours
    - Fine Arts Tour + Jewish Heritage Tour
    - Wine Tasting
    - Biking Buenos Aires
    - Cooking Workshop
    - San Isidro Tango Shows The Real World Of Tango Tigre

Transfer to domestic airport for your flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world with TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK. After getting settled at the hotel, you'll be able to view the magnificent Beagle Channel and the get acquainted with the charming town of Ushuaia. You'll have the rest of the day and evening to explore as you please.

You'll have two memorable experiences today, a 31⁄2 hour boat cruise through the legendary Beagle Channel and a Patagonia hiking excursion in Argentina's southernmost national park, Tierra del Fuego. From your hotel, you will be taken to the Brisighelli pier, to board a small boat for your trip through the channel. Having left Ushuaia, you enter a landscape of sea, estancias and mountains. You'll encounter Les Eclaireurs lighthouse and Isla de los Lobos (Seal Island) where you'll observe various sea mammals at close range, including the southern sea lion and southern fur seal. As you circumnavigate Isla de los Pajaros (Bird Island), you'll observe an abundance of nesting seabirds. Magellanic cormorants, imperial cormorants, giant albatrosses and over twenty other species of birds may be seen. On your return to Ushuaia, you'll have time to visit nearby Tierra del Fuego National Park for some Patagonia trekking. The 3.5 mile route takes you through a beech forest to a viewpoint overlooking some of the area's scenic wonders: Lake Roca, Laguna Verde and Laguna Negra, as well as the rivers Ovando and Lapataia and the Bay of Lapataia, a popular landing spot for birds. The region is home to many species including Austral parakeets, black-chested buzzard eagles, Andean condors, and South America's largest woodpecker, the Magellanic. You'll be returned to Ushuaia in the afternoon for another free evening and a restful night at your lodgings.

On today's Patagonia adventure, you explore Tierra del Fuego, the region with magnificent views and a fascinating history. Your first destination is Estancia Harberton. Located to the east of Ushuaia, this estancia is owned by the descendants of British missionaries, Rev. Thomas and Mary Bridges. From the estancia, you'll go by boat to Gable Island (the largest in the Beagle Channel) for lunch. You'll hike on the island and then visit the Penguin rookery at Martillo Island, home to Magellanic penguins and a few Gentoo penguins. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet near here, attracting a rich variety of sub-aquatic life, making it an ideal spot for birdwatching. Here you'll see such species as petrels, skuas, cormorants, sea gulls and albatross. This Southern Patagonia tour goes back to Harberton before returning.

This morning you may wish to spend your last hours in Ushuaia relaxing or visiting the fascinating End of the World Museum on your own before transferring to the airport to fly to El Calafate. Next you’ll take a three to four hour drive north to the other end of the park, arriving at El Chalten, with glorious vistas of the Fitz Roy mountain range along the way if the weather is clear.

After you get settled in your hotel, you may wish to get in some Patagonia hiking on your own. On the hike to the Piedras Blancas Glacier which takes about an hour, you'll pass through a beech forest frequented by Magallenic woodpeckers to view the Marconi Glacier, gateway to the Continental Icecap.

You may prefer to take the five-hour Cerro Polo hike where you'll have a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. You'll spend a restful night at your hotel in anticipation of the invigorating Patagonia hiking destinations to come.

Start to Laguna Capri: 2.6 miles
Altitude gain: 1200 ft
Laguna Capri to Laguna de los Tres: 2.7 miles
Altitude gain: 1800 ft

The destination of today's Argentina tour is a trek to the Laguna Capri base camp (Fitz Roy base camp). At the beginning of the hike, you'll have spectacular views of Fitz Roy, the mountain the Tehuelche named Chalten (God of Smoke), believing the mists around the magnificent massif were volcanic ash. On reaching Laguna Capri, you see Mt. Fitz Roy reflected in its clear waters. Here you'll stop for lunch (not included in Argentina tour fee), before resuming the hike to the base of the mountain. With majestic Mt. Fitz Roy towering above, you'll next reach emerald Laguna de los Tres. It is so named because three glaciers drain into the lake. Here you'll enjoy lovely views of Lake Viedma, and the sweeping Patagonian steppe. If you choose to continue down the steep trail to Laguna Sucia, you'll see the spires of Saint Exupery and Poincenot. You will be returned to your lodge for the evening and a good night's sleep.

Cerro Torre: 11 miles round trip,
Altitude gain: 1,000 ft

On today's Patagonia adventure, you'll hike on Mt. Torre, famous for its beauty and its climbing difficulty. A forty-five minute climb brings you to a level area surrounding an old lagoon. From there the trail descends into a forest where the ranges of Cerro Torre and Adelas may be seen. The trail ends at Laguna Torre, where you'll have stunning views of its mountain and glacier namesake in addition to the Egger and Standhard spires, a memorable sight on your Argentina tour.


DAY 10     DRIVE FROM EL CHALTEN TO EL CALAFATE

Transfer to El Calafate. We have the rest of the day free to relax and enjoy the charming town of El Calafate. Transfer to your luxurious hotel overlooking the Perito Moreno glazier at the heart of the Los Glacieaes National Park.

Your destination today is the highlight of most visitors' Argentina Patagonia tours. You'll enter Los Glaciares National Park, a huge protected area that contains the 23,000 square-mile sub-Antarctic Continental Icecap known as the "Third Pole." This is the birthplace of several major Patagonian Andes glaciers. To reach the colossal terminus of the Perito Moreno Glacier, you'll travel by boat across Lake Argentino to a beach for some extraordinary Patagonia trekking on the vast glacier, observing many bird species and perhaps catching a glimpse of the Andean condor. For this part of your Patagonia tour, no additional equipment or previous experience are necessary. With luck you'll witness the spectacle of glacier-calving when a huge chunk of ice tumbles from Perito Moreno's 150-ft wall.

OR

This Patagonia adventure is designed for those interested in a more in-depth exploration of the Perito Moreno glacier. Grab your crampons for an adventure of hiking deep into the glacier accompanied by a local glacier guide. After practicing safety techniques, you'll spend the rest of the day exploring the glacier and its ice caves, with plenty of time for photos. (This ice hike is very demanding and is advisable only for eighteen to forty-five year old participants who are in good physical condition. The hike takes about seven hours on ice and includes uneven terrain)

OR

Estancia Cristina Blue Ice Glacier Hike Upsala Glacier Cruise

This is a day of international travel, crossing the Argentina Patagonia border into Chile Patagonia. Though a long day of travel, it will prove worth it. Finally, you'll arrive at the world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park. Entering the park, you'll be in the summer grazing grounds of the endangered guanaco species. Surrounded by majestic mountains, it is a place you'll stop to watch and photograph these fascinating animals. Arrive at your luxurious lodge inside the park where you will settle in and spend the evening. Admire the spectacular Paine Massif from your room.

Spend these next three days touring Torres del Paine National Park and nearby areas of interest. Select from a number of Patagonia adventures, each lead by a knowledgeable bilingual guide. Hike up to the base of the giant Towers of Paine, horseback ride through the Enchanted and Ascencio Valleys, trek around the brilliant blue Lake Nordenskjold, visit the archeological sites of Lake Sofia, cruise to Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers, kayak Grey Lake, or enjoy any number of other activities for any activity level and interest. After full days exploring the area, return each evening to your comfortable accommodations.

The extremely well-situated luxury lodge is at a hub of Torres del Paine National Park near the trailheads for several well-known hikes: through the Ascencio Valley to the base of the Towers of Paine, through Valle Encantado to Lago Paine, and along Lake Nordenskjold to Los Cuernos and French Valley. The lodge has cozy rooms with unparalleled views of the PAINE MASSIF, rustic, yet stylish, ambiance perfect for resting after an ambitious day exploring the Park. The convenient location of the hotel allows for around 25 different activities to choose from daily each with groups of up to just eight travelers, ensuring ultimate flexibility without sacrificing personal attention. The lodge has many comfortable common areas, a bar with delicious artisan beers and regional wines, an extensive spa, and a restaurant featuring home-styled cuisine that incorporates meats and vegetables from the hotels nearby organic farm.

In the afternoon, you'll be taken to the Punta Arenas Airport where you'll spend the night at a local hotel.

You'll be transferred to the Bariloche Airport to fly back to Buenos Aires and be taken to your hotel on arrival in the capital. No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without a tango experience. Southern Explorations offers tango floor show tour extensions for your dining and dancing pleasure before spending a last night in your hotel.

There will be time on this last day of Argentina tours to enjoy a few more sights of Buenos Aires before being transferred to the Buenos Aires International Airport to fly home or to your next destination.